


The Love Of Her Life

by sos_blimek25



Category: Toaru Kagaku no Railgun | A Certain Scientific Railgun
Genre: But she gets over it, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Friendship, Humor, Jealousy, Light-Hearted, One-Sided Attraction, Romance, everything is okay, little bit of pining and hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:13:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25111441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sos_blimek25/pseuds/sos_blimek25
Summary: The day has finally come. Kuroko, Kazari, and Ruiko are about to meet Mikoto’s partner. The last person they expect to see walk through the door……is Shokuhou Misaki.
Relationships: Misaka Mikoto/Shokuhou Misaki
Comments: 11
Kudos: 123





	The Love Of Her Life

**Author's Note:**

> Set in a timeline where we can have nice things...
> 
> Enjoy :)

Mikoto told Kuroko first, knowing it would be difficult. And she was right. Kuroko felt she had been betrayed, and it took many days of consoling and discussion until she begrudgingly came to accept it.

Mikoto was in a relationship.

When Mikoto told Kazari over the phone, she was initially quite flustered. Topics like romance and dating were unfamiliar to her, but she offered her genuine support. And when Mikoto called Ruiko right after, well… Ruiko was so thrilled, she came up with a brilliant idea.

“Let’s have lunch together and meet your partner in person!”

And so, that was the plan. Mikoto kept the details of her partner under wraps until everyone met in person. She tip-toed around pronouns, not out of shame but as a precaution, and talked about them as little as possible.

It wasn’t too difficult. They’d been dating in secret for a few months without issue, and once she had gotten the okay from her partner, Mikoto was almost reluctant to share the news. She enjoyed spending time together alone, away from the prying, public eye, and a part of her didn’t want to expose her big secret. She wanted to live forever in their own, little world. But at the same time, she cared about her partner dearly, and she didn’t want to hide it anymore.

The girls struggled to make everyone’s schedules line up, but, the day finally came.

The day Mikoto’s friends would meet the love of her life.

It was a bright, sunny day and the girls had gathered at their usual family restaurant. The place was strangely empty, the stage clear to make way for what was about to come. They sat at a U-shaped booth with Mikoto on one side of the table, Ruiko and Kazari on the other side, and Kuroko in the middle. Mikoto drummed her fingers against the empty seat beside her and grumbled. _What’s taking so long?_

Mikoto was anxious, to say the least. She was constantly opening her phone, checking the time, texting her partner to make sure they were okay. Luckily, they were an expert at replying to texts, and always did with incredible speed — each notification filled her with a breath of ease, but in the silences between, her heart began to race.

“I must say, being late does not leave a good impression.” Kuroko said with an upturned chin, folding her arms.

“Maybe I’ll stand outside, just to be sure.” Mikoto said, excusing herself. She slid out from under the table and walked out the door. Kuroko watched her with narrow, hawk-like eyes, her entire form tense.

Kazari turned towards her. “Shirai-san, are you okay?”

“I must closely inspect the quality of Onee-sama’s partner to ensure they are a worthy match.” she explained. “I am concerned they’re a sloppy type.”

Kazari laughed nervously, impressed and bewildered by Kuroko’s determination. “I’m sure they’re a lovely person.”

“Misaka-san wouldn’t fall for just _anyone,_ ” Ruiko leaned over, giving a little wink. “Have some faith.”

Kuroko shrugged, continuing. “It is my duty, as her best friend, to see that which she cannot see for herself.”

“I wonder who it is.” Ruiko hummed a little. “Has she been talking with anyone lately? Or going out?”

“She has gone on a few late night ventures.” Kuroko said. “As for individuals… I’m not sure.”

Kazari let out a dreamy sigh, her mind wandering for just a moment. Her eyes began to sparkle, and she clasped her hands together. “I think a refined prince would be a good match for Misaka-san…”

Ruiko titled her head. “What if she’s into down-to-earth, average boys?”

Kuroko scoffed. She didn’t entertain the thought for even a moment. “Onee-sama has high standards. If she is with a man, I imagine he’d be good-looking and charismatic.” Kuroko had quite the keen eye, and noticed Mikoto dancing around the gender of her partner. She never said “boyfriend” or “girlfriend,” which gave her high hopes. If Mikoto was into women, well… she grinned at the thought. She would certainly approve.

“Do you think they’ve kissed yet?” With a cheeky grin on her face, Ruiko slid closer to Kazari, nudging her in the side. “Or maybe, _you know…”_

Kazari’s face turned beet red, and a puff of air escape her lungs. She batted her friend away. “S-Saten-san!”

Kuroko let out a ghastly noise as her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. Her hands started shaking. The mere _thought_ of her Onee-sama doing something like _that_ with another person… She stood up and slammed a fist into the table, the bang resounding throughout the whole restaurant.

“Unacceptable! There’s no way my Onee-sama would do something like that!”

Ruiko waved it off and laughed. “I’m joking, I’m joking.” But Kuroko didn’t halt. The fires deep in her heart had been lit and she kept rambling on, leaning over the table.

“She would not give in to such devilish desires so quickly! Someone so immature could not do something so intimate within just a few months! Even when I, Kuroko, her best friend seeks attention, she gets awfully embarrassed! At her core, she’s still pure, and she’s so…”

Ruiko’s eyes widened, her attention drifting from Kuroko’s passion-fuelled rant. She gasped. “Is that…?” She tapped Kazari on the shoulder, who upon looking up, wore a similar, awed expression. Kuroko, who was in her own world, did not notice the pair of figures that had entered the room.

“…and I can read Onee-sama like a book! She would not be able to hide a scandalous secret like that from me—“

“Good evening.” A voice suddenly rang out.

Kuroko froze, her breath catching in her throat. That smooth, sultry voice… she swallowed. She recognised it from somewhere. She had only heard it in passing, and like a distant memory, it felt just out of reach. Just hearing it left a bitter taste in her mouth. She scrambled her brain, searching, and her blood ran cold as she connected the dots a second too late. She looked up and the answer stood right before her.

“Sorry to keep you waiting! Let me introduce you, um…” Mikoto rubbed the back of her neck, and gestured towards the figure beside her. “This is my girlfriend, Shokuhou Misaki.”

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Misaki said, bowing her head.

Kuroko felt her soul slip out of her body.  
  
.  
.  
.  
  
“Misaka-san, I thought you didn’t get along well with Shokuhou-san.” After pleasantries had been exchanged, Ruiko was free to dig a little deeper. It was exciting, finally meeting Mikoto’s dearest, and she wanted to know everything she could. Considering their history, it was unexpected that it turned out to be Shokuhou Misaki of all people. So Ruiko wanted to hear it all. “Could it be— you were hiding your true feelings all along!?”

“N-No,” Mikoto lowered her head. She was already quite nervous, and her friend’s enthusiasm was overwhelming. “I genuinely disliked her before, but we grew on each other.”

“And now, she can’t get enough of me~” Misaki leaned in closer to Mikoto, their shoulders brushing together. Mikoto laughed and leaned away.

Ruiko leaned eagerly over the table. “Who confessed first?”

“Misaka-san,” Misaki said, with a sigh. “Though it was very unromantic.”

Mikoto crossed her arms. “Hey, I couldn’t help it! We were arguing when I blurted it out.”

“You were arguing?” Ruiko raised her eyebrows.

“Yeah.” Mikoto admitted. “It took some time and a lot of talking, but…”

“Now we’re totally inseparable~” Misaki, who was already sitting too close, closed the space between them. She hooked her arm with Mikoto’s and began cozying up to her. She giggled right against Mikoto’s ear, sending a shock of embarrassment through her system. She seized up and hastily tried to pull away, to no avail. Mikoto groaned.

“P-Please don’t embarrass me.” she whimpered, her face turning pink.

Misaki frowned, raising an eyebrow and playing innocent. “Hm? But Misaka-san, you _love_ cuddling when we’re alone, what’s the problem?”

“Really?” Kazari’s face brightened with surprise. “I didn’t think Misaka-san would be the type.”

“Oh, she can be _very_ clingy. What was it, the other night?” Misaki clutched at her chest, putting on a dramatic, whiny voice. “ _Shokuhou, come closer, I’m so cold!”_

“That’s not what I sound like! And I said, don’t embarrass me!” Mikoto finally pried out of Misaki’s grasp, and crossed her arms with a huff. It seemed Misaki made it her goal to step on every one of Mikoto’s nerves today, in front of her friends, no less. She was bubbling with frustration and embarrassment, and it took every ounce of self-control to hold it together. She couldn’t lash out at Misaki like she did with Kuroko, after all.

“Say, have you two gone on any dates yet?” Ruiko asked, leaning on her elbow. Her eyes were shimmering with pure curiosity. Mikoto hummed, taking a moment to steady herself.

“A couple. Dinner, movies, things like that…”

“Do people stare? Since you’re both gorgeous Level 5’s.”

“With my ability,” Misaki said, puffing out her chest. “We can have all the privacy we want.”

Ruiko gasped, her eyes sparkling. “You could have a whole movie theatre to yourselves!”

Misaki giggled, putting a hand over her mouth. “I suppose. Though sometimes having an audience makes it more romantic.”

“Have you two…” Ruiko spoke softly, feeling all eyes on her. She rubbed her hands together, grinning, and glanced between Misaki and Mikoto. “…kissed yet?”

“S-Saten-san!” Kazari’s voice erupted beside her. She frantically waved her arms, her cheeks puffed with embarrassment. “I don’t think you should ask something so…“

“Of course. Many times.” Misaki waved a hand, barely batting an eye at the otherwise prying question. She answered in her usual, nonchalant tone. “Misaka-san was quite sloppy in the beginning, but she’s much better now.”

Mikoto was paralysed with shock and embarrassment, her whole body trembling. She stared wide-eyed at Ruiko, betrayed that she would even _ask_ , and then she turned to Misaki, speechless. Absolutely speechless. Since Mikoto rarely talked about her private life, it was terrifying admitting such a thing to her friends. It was like they were peering too deeply into her soul, though Misaki talked about it like it was nothing.

Her heart suddenly spiked with fear. Instinctively, Mikoto’s eyes shifted to Kuroko, who had been strangely quiet the whole time. She had expected an outburst or protest of sorts especially after what was just mentioned, so Kuroko’s composure was a little off-putting. Her expression was rock-solid and hard to read. She lifted a glass to her lips, took a long sip, and then put it back down. She met Mikoto’s gaze for just a moment, before Mikoto looked away.

 _She isn’t saying anything,_ Mikoto thought. _Maybe she isn’t upset?_

It was too late, anyway. No matter how much Mikoto fretted, there was nothing she could do. The words had already been said.

Mikoto’s shoulders slumped in defeat, and she let out a sigh. At least no one seemed judgemental. Ruiko looked proud, if anything. Looking down at her clammy hands, Mikoto muttered, “I-It was my first time, give me a break…”

Misaki giggled. “You used to be so nervous to kiss me, you would shake like a small kitten~”

“Can you quit teasing me now, and act normal?” Mikoto said, looking at Misaki out of the corner of her eye. The other girl smiled back.

“Normal? What ever could you mean~?” She winked.

Mikoto huffed. “You are the _worst.”_ She gave Misaki a playful shove, shaking her head. A soft smile appeared on her face, but only for a moment.  
.  
.  
.

For the first time since Misaki arrived, Kuroko suddenly spoke, offering to accompany Kazari to the restroom. At the last second, Misaki scampered off after them, leaving Mikoto and Ruiko alone at the table.

Mikoto slumped into her chair, sighing with relief. She didn’t realise how strung-up she had been until it was quiet. Her mind had been trying to monitor everything at once. How the conversations were going, how long the silences dragged on for, what she was saying, how Misaki was feeling, how Kuroko was feeling. Turns out, managing that much took quite a toll on a person.

Ruiko noticed her deflating form, and tapped Mikoto’s foot underneath the table. “Tired?”

“A little stressed.”

“What are you stressed about?” Ruiko’s voice was warm and gentle, and her blue eyes were steady. Peering into them, Mikoto felt at ease. She sensed an ocean of care beneath them, assuring her she was safe.  
  
“I just want everyone to get along.” Mikoto fiddled with her hands beneath the table. “I know Misaki isn’t the easiest to deal with, but I don’t want any of you to hate her… especially Kuroko.”

“What do you like about Shokuhou-san?”

Mikoto blinked. “Huh?”

“You’re dating her for a reason,” Ruiko smiled. “What do you see in her?”

“Well…” Mikoto frowned.

When they were keeping their relationship secret, Mikoto avoided talking about Misaki at all costs. She refused to give herself a chance to slip-up, knowing her friends could read her like a book. Unless they were alone, she kept her thoughts about Misaki locked away in her heart. It had become a deep-rooted habit. And while she didn’t need it anymore, it took time to overturn.

Mikoto rubbed the back of her neck. Perhaps starting with her bad points was easier. “She’s… really annoying. Needy. And selfish.” she said, her voice cautious and wavering. She tried to picture Misaki in her mind, remember the things she said and did. “But she harbours a lot of care for others. She acts tough, but she has a big heart. A sense of justice. Strong values. She knows what she wants and she’s never trying to be someone else. She’s always just… Shokuhou Misaki. And, I mean, have you _looked_ at her?”

Ruiko watched, with a smile across her face, and didn’t say a word. When all went silent, Mikoto stared back for a moment, and then she felt her face redden. She had been rambling. Before she could apologise or pry her eyes away, Ruiko opened her mouth, and her words pierced the space between them. Everything came to a grinding halt.

“Do you love her, Misaka-san?”

Mikoto needn’t ponder her answer. If only Ruiko could hear the rapid beating of her heart, Mikoto thought, then she wouldn’t have to say anything. She smiled, and her voice was tender and warm as she said, “Of course I do.”

“As long as that’s true,” Ruiko said, “Then none of us, including Kuroko, could ever hate her.”  
.  
.  
.

“You’ve been oddly quiet this evening, Shirai-san.” Misaki glanced at the other girl through the bathroom mirror, catching her tense expression. The girls were washing their hands under opposing sinks, purposefully keeping their distance. “Everything alright?”

“Yes,” Kuroko said, not bothering to look up. “I am merely an observer today.”

“An observer?”

“To ensure Onee-sama finds comfort in your company.”

“How thoughtful~” Misaki giggled. “I thought you might’ve been jealous.”

 _Jealous._ What an awful word. Kuroko clenched her jaw, her fingers dripping over the sink as _that_ moment flashed through her mind again.

_“I’m seeing someone. Like, I’m in a relationship…”_

The memory was crystal clear. The words rung in her brain. Her bold and daring Onee-sama couldn’t even look her in the eyes when she said them. She struggled to get them out. Kuroko could see something was weighing on her heart, but she patiently waited. She smiled and waited, because that was what best friends did. And then, Mikoto said _that._

It felt like a sharp needle being stabbed through her chest, the blood pouring out and pooling to the bottom of her stomach. Filling her insides. This nauseating pulse of pain stilled her, rattled her to the core. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced — that heartache. That writhing, seething, poisonous _jealousy_.

After she blurted out the words, Mikoto stood before her, pale and shaking. Kuroko wanted nothing more than to hug her and comfort her. To wipe that timid expression off her face, and tell her it was okay. That she would be okay. But Kuroko got swept up in her emotions, as she often did, and that strength didn’t come.

Sorting out her feelings was a complicated, confusing process. She loved her Onee-sama. She cared about her Onee-sama. But they were friends first and foremost. Kuroko found purpose simply being by her side — and that was more important than anything romantic. If Mikoto did not feel the same, if she was happy with someone else, Kuroko swore she would never, ever ruin that.

When Misaki first walked in, deep down, Kuroko felt she should’ve known. She should’ve seen it coming. Mikoto hadn’t been avoiding her like she used to, and didn’t talk badly about her like she used to. When they were together they bickered a lot, sure, but it was never out of bitterness. And today, Kuroko had silently noticed — those stolen glances, those sweet smiles Mikoto gave when the other wasn’t looking. She looked happy.

Perhaps, Kuroko thought, Mikoto was in love with Misaki.

It was beautifully bittersweet.

“My feelings are only trifling.” Kuroko said, drying off her hands. “Onee-sama’s happiness is what matters.”

Misaki narrowed her eyes and stepped towards the other girl. “Do you truly believe that?”

Kuroko paused. She took a sharp breath in through her nose, and out her mouth. She turned on her heel, looked Misaki dead in the eyes, and gave a nod. “Yes.”

Misaki stared down at Kuroko. Her hand itched towards her bag, but she resisted the urge. She tried to peer beyond Kuroko’s firm expression, searching for any signs of weakness or hurt. Any flicker of nervousness or despair or doubt. But the shorter girl stood her ground. She didn’t flinch in the heavy silence that settled between them, didn’t look away. Her eyes were steady. Grounded. Truthful.

 _That's a relief,_ Misaki thought.

She smiled, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Good.” And then turned and left. Kuroko quickly followed after her. And poor Kazari, who had been listening the whole time from her bathroom stall, said nothing and scrambled out behind them.  
.  
.  
.

The sun was setting, the curtains finally drawing closed for the day. Ruiko and Kazari waved to the other girls as they parted ways, and the Tokiwadai trio walked in silence until they reached the dorms.

“Misaka-san,” Misaki said once they stepped inside, “Are you coming back to my room?”

Mikoto had been dreading the question. She had been wondering herself the whole way back, and hadn’t managed to come to a conclusion. The girls stopped in the entrance way, as Mikoto hummed to herself. She wanted to spend time with Misaki — alone — but she was worried about Kuroko. They had barely spoken all day, she wanted to make sure the other was okay.

With each second that ticked by, quietly, the pressure piled on. Eventually Mikoto caved in, blurting out, “Not tonight, I think.”

Misaki whined, crossing her arms like a spoilt child. “Why not?”

“We spent all day together,” Mikoto said, looking away from both girls. “I’m a little tired.”

“You don’t want to have alone time with _just me?”_

“I do, but…”

“Onee-sama.”

Kuroko suddenly spoke, with a firmness and confidence that caught Mikoto off-guard. Her heart thudded in her chest as she glanced over her shoulder. “Yes?”

Kuroko’s gaze, just like her voice, was bold and unwavering. The smile on her lips was faint but sincere, and Mikoto found herself staring for just a moment. Kuroko nodded towards Misaki, and gave Mikoto a little nudge. “Go spend some time with your beloved. Okay?”

Mikoto smiled back at her best friend, a wave of relief coming over her like a cool breeze. She sighed, finally giving in. “Okay,” she said, glancing at Misaki. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Kuroko.”

“See you tomorrow, Onee-sama.”

Misaki gave a little wave before whisking Mikoto away. Kuroko watched as the two walked off, their hands eventually finding each other, until they were out of sight.

Kuroko felt proud of herself, for in that moment, she didn’t feel an ounce of jealousy. No, her chest was warm and fuzzy, and a smile tugged at her lips. She made her way back to her room, for once at peace with the thought of spending the night alone, and she laughed.

She was happy for Mikoto.


End file.
